Marriage Book Recommendations

There are a plethora of marriage books out there and today, I wanted to share some of my favorite as well as those that have been recommended by different married women during the survey I conducted last November. There are quite a few that Greg and I want to read in the next few years from this list. Feel free to click on the link to read more about the book on Amazon. (Disclosure: These are affiliated links, meaning that if you choose to purchase the book, I would get a tiny compensation without any extra cost to you). I am denoting books that either I or Greg recommend with asterisk*.

First, I'll start with two books Greg and I have read together and LOVE:

You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity by Francis and Lisa Chan *

You and Me Forever is not your average marriage book, because it doesn't really focus on marriage. A quote on the back cover  says: "The way to have a great marriage is not by focusing on marriage." Well, then, what should we focus on? The Chans believe Christians should focus on God first and foremost, placing Him preeminent above all else, even your spouse and children. Only then, when the greatest Love is in its proper place, can we love our families best. Using Scripture as well as wisdom from their experiences in their own marriage, Francis and Lisa discuss principles to have a marriage that satisfies the deepest part of the soul when God is the main focus. We loved the discussion questions at the end of each chapter and felt challenged to evaluate our marriage 'in light of eternity', as the Chans' subtitle notes.

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman *

This book is an indispensable resource for all married couples, and now that there are versions that focus on love languages for singles, children, and teens, it really is equally important for anyone and everyone that desires to learn more about their own love languages and those of the ones they love. Greg and I used the general principles of this book while dating and used online resources to find out more about each other's love languages. We finally got around to reading it the past few months and it has brought up awesome conversations about how we have been doing in loving one another in specific ways we receive best. I cannot say enough about how this book has blessed our relationship from early on in our dating season until now in our newlywed season.

GENERAL MARRIAGE BOOKS

Paul David Tripp - What Did You Expect?: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage  

C.S. Lewis - The Four Loves

Henry Cloud and John Townsend - Boundaries in Marriage  
Dave Harvey - When Sinners Say "I Do": Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage

Emerson Eggerich - Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs

Gary Thomas - Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?

*Mark & Grace Driscoll - Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together

Tim Keller -  The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God  Matt Chandler - The Mingling of Souls: God's Design for Love, Marriage, Sex, and Redemption

BOOKS FOR DATING/ENGAGED COUPLES

Dennis Rainey - Preparing for Marriage H. Norman Wright - 101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged

Les and Leslie Parrot -  Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts: Seven Questions to Ask Before -- and After -- You Marry

FINANCES IN MARRIAGE

*Dave Ramsay -The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness 

Howard Dayton - Money and Marriage God's Way

SEX

Linda Dillow & Dr. Juli Slattery - Passion Pursuit: What Kind of Love Are You Making? Dr. Kevin Leman - Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage

Ed Wheat - Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage Willard F. Harley - His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage
William Cutrer and Sandra Glahn - Sexual Intimacy in Marriage 

COMMUNICATION

 Emerson Eggerich - Cracking the Communication Code: The Secret to Speaking Your Mate's Language 

HUSBANDS

Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn - For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women

Steve Farrar - Point Man: How a Man Can Lead His Family 

*Dr. Larry Crabb - The Silence of Adam: Becoming Men of Courage in a World of Chaos

*Elisabeth Elliot  - The Mark of a Man: Following Christ's Example of Masculinity  

WIVES

* Shaunti Feldhahn - For Women Only, Revised and Updated Edition: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men Linda Dillow - Creative Counterpart : Becoming the Woman, Wife, and Mother You Have Longed To Be 

Linda Dillow - What's It Like to Be Married to Me?: And Other Dangerous Questions Stomie Omartian The Power of a Praying Wife

* Elisabeth Elliot - Let Me Be a Woman 

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Have you read any of these, and if so, did you like them? Any books you think I should add to the list?